Excessive Sweating in Heat

When the surrounding air is hot, sweat evaporates from the skin and carries heat away. Humidity, tight clothing, exercise, dehydration, and limited airflow can make cooling less effective. A person may feel clammy, thirsty, tired, headachy, or light-headed as fluid and salts are lost. Heat Exhaustion can develop when the body cannot keep up with the conditions.

Sweating that happens in cool conditions or continues well after cooling down has a different pattern and deserves assessment. A clinician may ask about medicines, thyroid symptoms, blood sugar symptoms, and sleep problems such as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

Stop strenuous activity, move to shade or air conditioning, loosen clothing, and cool the skin with wet cloths or a fan. Sip water or an oral rehydration drink if you are alert and able to swallow. Rest until symptoms settle, and avoid returning to heat too quickly. Use light, breathable clothing and plan outdoor activity for cooler periods. Never leave a child, older person, or pet in a parked vehicle.

Call emergency services for confusion, collapse, seizure, severe breathing difficulty, or inability to drink. Get urgent assessment if symptoms worsen, vomiting prevents hydration, or the person becomes unusually drowsy. Heat-related illness can progress even after moving indoors. Arrange routine care if sweating is excessive in mild conditions, begins suddenly, or repeatedly interferes with daily activities.

How can I judge whether my symptoms are simple heat sweating or Heat Exhaustion? Do any medicines increase my heat sensitivity? How should I replace fluids during exercise? If sweating occurs outside hot conditions, what tests or treatments should we consider?